Collapsible dress form



E. G. HERBERT.

COLLAPSIBLE DRESS FORM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. a. 1921.

Patented NOV. 21, 1922..

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

INVENTOR E. G! HERBERT.

COLLAPSIBLE DRESS FORM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. e, 1921.

Patented Nov. 21, 1922 2 SHEETSSHEET 2- WITNESS:

ATTO RN EY Patented Nov. 21, 1922,. i

EUSTACE G. HERBERT, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

COLLAPSIBLE DRESS FORM.

Application filed September 6, 1921. Serial No. 498,742.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, EUSTACE G. HER- BERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Dress Forms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to dress forms and has for its primary object the provision of a device of this character which can be quickly and conveniently distended into position for use or knocked down and folded into a comparatively compact package when not in use, for convenience in shipment or storage.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dress form which will be yieldable whereby the same can be contracted and varied in shape or'outside contour by the application of external pressure thereto,

combined with a means for holding the form operatively distended.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a yieldable dress form which in its normal condition is of maximum size but 4 capable of being readily contracted'and permanently held within a previously shaped covering, such as commonly used by dressmakers and employed as a lining, the latter.-

being first carefully fitted to the person serving as a model for the dress form and then accurately secured over the entire structure of the form, contracting said entire struc- 7 ture and thereby taxing the latter to cause the outer covering to maintain its correct and proposed shape.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dress form which will consist of an elastic inner part and an inelastic outer part, the latter constituting a previously designed form and when adjusted to said elastic inner part, serving to co-act therewith to give to the entire structure the exact form of the person to whom the outer part was fitted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dress form of this character having a novel form of shoulder support which will give true uniformity to the upper part of the structure from the neck to the extreme ends of the shoulders.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel arrangements of parts which will hereinafter be fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, has been illustrated, a single and preferred form of the invention, it being, however, understood, that no limitations are necessarily made to the precise structural details therein exhibited, but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claims may be resorted to when desired.

Figure 1, is a perspective view-of my improved dress form.

Figure 2, is a vertical section therethrough taken on an enlarged scale, parts broken away for the purpose of clearness.

Figure 3, is a transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4, is a plan view of the shoulder support.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the shoulder support, and v Figure 6, is a perspective view showing the form collapsed.

In carrying the invention into practice, use is made of a base 5, which consists preferably of a flat wooden block or disk, hav ing a central collar 6, located on its upper surface and threadedly connected with a rod section 7 Other rod sections 8 and 9 'are threadedly connected with each other as shown in Figure 2 and at the lower end, the section 8 is threaded or otherwise suitably detachably connected with the base rod The upper end of the rod 9 is attached in any suitable well known manner to a block or disk 10, as also shown in Figure 2. The rods 7, 8 and 9 and their co-acting disks 6 and 10, merely serve as a column orcentral stand around which the principal parts of my improved dress form are made.

These principal parts of the form consist of a number of rings 12 which are respectivel of different external diameters and whic operate as distending means for an 10. inner body wall 13 of conventional design. This body wall is formed of inelastic material and the same is provided with a free curtain or skirt 14, secured at 15 to the base 5. Surrounding this wall 13 is a body 16 formed of sponge rubber or any suitable well known material which may serve as the equivalent thereof and which is adapted. to be formed or to give in accordance with the design or configuration of an outer part or 1 of cambric or similar material which may be said disk. When this operation is accom embraced by a cover, not shown and which said cover is first applied to the body of the person serving as a model for my form. At the neck of the outer wall 17, said wall is secured to the neck of the inner inelastic wall 13 and at this point, a suitable draw string 18 is provided that may be extended above the aforesaid top disk 10, the ends of the string brought together and secured against plished the entire form is distended both longitudinally and transversely and the structure made ready for use. The inner wall 13 act form of the outer body or material 17.

At a point below the flap 19, the said outer wall 17 1s extended as at 20 and secured at the point 15, to said base 5.

In order. to give true uniformity to the shoulders of the completed form, I provide a shoulder support 21 which may be formed from a single piece of wire or similar material, bent to form a ring 22, which is stitched or otherwise properly secured to the inner wall 13. This support is provided with substantially U shaped side wings 23-23, which adapt themselves to the shoulders of the inner wall 13. This support is further provided with a forward and downwardly extending wing 24 and a rearwardly and outwardly extending wing 25. All of theseparts 23- 23 and 24 and 25, serve when in contact with the adjacent portions of the wall 13, to give to corresponding portions of the outer wall 17, such measure of rigidity as is necessary to a proper fitting of the garment.

From the foregoing it will be observed that b first cuttlng a form to correspond with t at of a model, and then placing the form in envelope fashion over the sponge rubber or elastic body 16, and then securing said body at the aforesaid point 15, and to the inner wall 13 as described, a true condition of said wall 17 is maintained. Said wall 17 accurately adapts itself to the pliable or elastic body 16 as will be appreciated. When the form is not in use, the draw string 18 can be separated from the upper disk 10, and by the provision of the mentioned rings 12, the entire form can be collapsed as shown in Figure 6, in order that it can be conven iently shipped or placed in storage. 'The rods 7, 8 and 9, can also be relatively separated so as to be contained wholly within the interior part of the folded form.

As shown in Figure 3, the rings 12 are expansible each having its ends connected to slide one over the other. In this manner'the rings operate to laterally distend the form as will be understood.

The wings 24 and 25 are yieldable and normally they tend to move outwardly so that pressure is exerted against the adjacent portions of the form. The side wings 23-23 are also slightly yieldable so as to firmly sup port the shoulders of the form.

What is claimed as new is 1. A dress form comprising a body of sponge rubber material having a thickness respectively varying from the neckline to a point approximately at the abdominal line of the form, a wall completely embraced by said sponge rubber, a. plurality of expansible rings embraced by said'wall and serving to hold the latter distended circumferentially, each of said rings having its ends slidable over each other.

-2. A dress form comprising a body of sponge rubber having a thickness respectively varying from the neck line to a point approximately at the abdominal line of the form, a wall completely embraced by said sponge rubber, a plurality of expansible rings embraced by said wall and servingito .hold the latter distended circumferentially and means for holding said wall and said elastic material distended in a. longitudinal direction, each of said rings having its ends slidable over each other.

3. A dress form comprising a body of laterally elastic material having a thickness respectively varying from the neck line to a point approximately at the abdominal line of the form, a wall completely embraced by said elastic material, a plurality of expansible rings embraced by said wall and serving to hold the latter distended circumferentially, an outer wall embracing said elastic material and held distended circumferentially by the action of said rings, each of said rings having its en'ds slidable over each other.

4. A dress form comprising two spaced walls, one of said walls contained within the other of said walls, a base block secured to the lower edges of both walls, means for holding said walls stretched in a longitudinal direction, a body of sponge rubber between said walls, means ,for holding said walls and said body distended circumferentially, a disk on said holding means at the neck end of the form, and means for detachably connecting the upper ends of said walls with said disk and arranged when separated from said disk to permit the form to be 001- lapsed against said base.

5. A dress .form comprising two spaced walls, one of said walls contained within the 'othenof said walls, means for holding said walls stretched in a longitudinal direction,

albody of sponge rubber between said walls,

' ,means for holdm saidwalls 'and-said-body distended circum erentially, said first means including a collapsible structure having .a

lower part to which portions of said walls are permanently secured and an upper part with which other portions of said walls are detachably secured, whereby when said walls are separated from said upper part, the form may be collapsed against the said'lower part in parallel relation thereto. I v

6. A dress form comprising relatively spaced flexible walls having an interposed body oflsponge rubber therebetween, and a series of superposed expansible rings embraced by the inner surface of the inner one of said walls andv serving to hold both of said walls and said body distended circumferentially, each of said rings formed from a single piece of spring wire having its ends I slidably connected together.

7. A dress form comprising relatively spaced flexible walls having an interposed body of sponge rubber therebetween, a series of superposed .expansiblle rings embraced by the inner surface of the inner one of said walls'and servin to hold both of said walls and said body istended circumferentially,

each of said rings formed from a single piece of spring wire having its ends slidably connected together and a shoulder support said walls stretched in a longitudinal direcand longitudinally distensible ,tion, the second member serving when disconnected from said other portion of said wall to permit the form to be closely collapsed against said base member.

9. A dress form comprising laterally spaced inner and outer walls, a filling of sponge rubber between said walls, a base member to which portions of said walls are permanently secured, an upper member to which other portions of said walls are 'detachably secured, means between said members for holding said walls stretched in a longitudinal direction and means for holding both walls of said body distended circumferentially. v v

10. A dress form comprisin a laterally ody, and a shoulder support of yieldable material arranged-within the body and freely pressing gether atthe neck end of the form, a disk secured to one of said rods, the outer wall having a'contractable portion adapted to be contracted over the disk to secure the form in longitudinally distended condition, a body of sponge rubber interposed between said inner and outer walls, and means for holding the form circumferentially distended when set up.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

iiUs'rAcIi e. HERBERT.

outward thereagainst, and including a for- 

